Really struggling with New Years diet

Bought myself a few of those 200 cal/shake meal replacement tubs in many flavors.

The idea : 1 shake for breakfast and another for dinner. Allow 1000 calories for a nice tea including desert and maybe a small snack for supper or if get hungry through the day.

The reality : I wake up at 5.30 and am in work for 6.30.I get home at around 5/7 pm. I somehow expected 400 calories of milkshake to fuel a very large man on a work day for around 12 hours until i get my main meal. I have fallen asleep at my desk twice now and been rudely awoken by flying objects from my colleges who oppose my snoring. The only way I have survived is to raid the vending machines for crisps n chocolate adding well over 600 calories extra per day. This = no real weight loss.

I now own 6 large tubs of meal replacement powders which are recommended to replace 2 meals / day and am struggling to factor them into a working diet.

Jan 9th, 2015, 10:15 AM

PaulB

SoSlim Rising Star

Join Date: Nov 2014

Location: Manchester, UK

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Reading around seems some people ditch the stereotypical 3 main meals and 2 snacks and go for 5-6 small meals a day. Think this might be more suited to my lifestyle. Wake at 5 bed at 10ish is around 17 hours. Guess 5 meals should mean I do not go more than 4 hours without food. Just need to collect ideas for 200-400 calorie meals. The smaller portions should help shrink my gut as well.

Jan 9th, 2015, 10:54 AM

StirCrazy

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Join Date: May 2013

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What shakes did you get? Taste-wise where they ok? Although I eat a healthy meal in the evening I don't eat during the day and snack later at night. Missus keeps saying the reason I have a problem with my weight is as much to do with skipping breakfast and lunch so thinking shakes are the easier and quick option. Just got to find a shake that I like without spending a fortune.

200-400 meals... hmmm. I used to cheat back in the day and just buy chunky soups and have slow cook stews. Slimming world have some pretty nice curry recipes; reckon they must be under 400 cals

Jan 9th, 2015, 13:01 PM

PaulB

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Join Date: Nov 2014

Location: Manchester, UK

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Hi I got tubs of USN Diet Fuel. Only had the vanilla so far but was nice taste and easy to mix. Satiation wise lasts me for about 3 hours before I get hungry. Got cafe latte and chocolate as well to try. Work out about £28 for 2kg which is roughly 18 shakes.

Been looking at things like cupooats @ 215 cals and big soups @ just over 200 a tin. Think soups and stews definitely the way to go. I have little time to cook during the week.

Jan 9th, 2015, 14:00 PM

Beanie

SoSlim Newbie

Join Date: Jan 2015

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Broth based soups are awesome if you like them. Load them up with veggies and lean meats, make them in bulk, and then you can even freeze some for later if you need to. Canned soup is another option if you're not a cook but they don't taste as good (to me at least). Salads are also low cal as long as you don't load them up with high fat dressing.

Jan 16th, 2015, 01:38 AM

rory

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Join Date: Jan 2015

Location: ireland

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First of all, well done for getting this going. It sounds like you have got great motivation.

Do you think that instead of coming up with something yourself that you could see an expert to give you a simple plan?

They said that first two weeks of diet can be a lot of water lost. Then the third week you don't feel so good. It's quite an undertaking.

Take a look at the BBC horizon link and see if it helps at all.

Jan 28th, 2015, 15:00 PM

PaulB

SoSlim Rising Star

Join Date: Nov 2014

Location: Manchester, UK

Posts: 256

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Thanks.
Been slowly introducing soups. Making big batches. Mostly vegi with beans but they have worked out great. Plus I get to do all my messy prep stuff on a Sunday means easy week of reheats.
That Horizon documentary looks the business. Managed to catch one of them when they were showing. Will have to make some time to watch them all again.
Problem I have is I dieted a few years back and easily lost 2-3lbs a day for around 3 months. I was eating lots of healthy foods,exercising and felt great. Part of me wants to recapture that phase of my life and nothing I am trying at the moment makes me feel as good as I did then. Even if things work a bit I tend to sabotage them. Its nuts, lol. I know I have gone through a major illness and eating disorder so my body is damaged goods and I will never get like that again but part of me just wont accept it. So I keep trying diet/fitness routines hoping one will click perfectly.

Jan 28th, 2015, 15:30 PM

rory

SoSlim Newbie

Join Date: Jan 2015

Location: ireland

Posts: 34

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I think you need support, maybe going to slimming world.

I might be good to plan out your meals, slimming world would help that.